Device to prevent brain damage from a severe impact to an athlete&#39;s head

ABSTRACT

A safety helmet system to minimize brain concussions for athletes experiencing impact loading. A housing incorporates a series of displaceable plates which are displaceable having a shear thickening fluid between the displaceable plates for rigidifying upon impact. The housing is connected on one end to a helmet and to shoulder pads on an opposing end.

FIELD OF USE

This invention is in the field of devices that are designed to prevent concussions of the brain that frequently occur from blows to the head in certain sports such as football, lacrosse, field hockey, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are an estimated 1.6 to 3.6 million sport's related concussions occurring annually just in the USA (J A Langlois, W Rutland Brown, M M Wald. (2006) The epidemiology and impact of traumatic brain injury: a brief overview. J Head Trauma Rehabil., 21(5):375-8). In addition to the professional sports, a greater percentage of these injuries occur in children, high school and college athletes who are also susceptible to severe negative effects of sport related concussions with a potentially greater negative impact on long-term quality of life.

The kinematics that induce a concussion are thought to consist primarily of rotational acceleration-deceleration motions of the head. While existing protective helmets are effective at reducing the direct blunt force trauma, injuries caused by indirect collision effects and the resulting angular accelerations of an oblique impact remains problematic. Consequently, for any device to be effective in preventing concussion, it needs to provide a constraint for head accelerations to below concussive-inducing threshold levels that occur when the individual is subject to a high impulsive force. In addition, such devices need to be compact and place minimal impediments to the normal motion of the head to allow the user unobtrusive and unhindered operation. This presents a design challenge due to the exposed nature of the head/neck region and the complex range of motion that the multi-articulated joints of the spine permit for the head.

The prior art in this area has largely focused on the use of standard linear damper technology (either pneumatic or hydraulic) (H. A. Kiem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,905) or the use of mechanical clutch mechanisms (M. Salkind, et al, US Patent Appl. No. 20110277225A1 and S. W. Nagely, et al, US Patent Appl. No. 20130205480A1) to control load distribution to the torso when impact occurs (see Figures below). While based on mostly proven technology, these existing proposed implementations usually suffer from complexity, high cost and being intrusive in their size and placement, and to our knowledge, have yet to see adoption in any venue. Furthermore, each of these prior art examples would cause significant constraint on the freedom of head motion. Still further, each of these designs could cause serious injury to any football player who would be tackling an opponent who would have such protrusions from his shoulder pads to his helmet. It is therefore obvious that a much-improved design is needed to solve the problem of reducing brain concussions for athletes playing football or any other sport that allows contact between players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a “SuperSpine” device that acts as a damping means for connecting helmet and shoulders (or torso) to decrease the effective angular acceleration of the head under concussive impact loading while presenting minimal impediment to the normal motion of the head (degrees of freedom, range of motion, force required to move at typical rates). The device is closely conformal to the body to present minimal obstruction. The fundamental premise of this device is to provide a nearly rigid connection between the head and torso (via the shoulder pads) under impact conditions, such that the impact load is transferred to the body, and hence greatly reduces the angular acceleration of the head relative to the body. The key component for the functioning of the device is the use of a “smart fluid” to act as a damping material with the special properties that its resistance to shearing motion is increased in a non-linear manner in relation to applied shear rates. This can be achieved through use of a passive shear-thickening (ST) suspension, or through implementation of active systems using magnetorheological (MR) fluids and appropriate sensor and control electronics. The present invention focuses on the use of shear-thickening fluids, which are passive materials that show a sudden solidification upon externally applied stress and quick refluidization after the removal of that stress. Although shear-thickening fluids have been incorporated into protective padding (closed-cell foams or honeycomb structures), utilizing them in a multi-degree-of-freedom damper to prevent brain concussion for football players is truly a novel implementation of this technology.

The preliminary evidence supporting this concept has consisted of mechanical testing of ST fluids under controlled impact conditions to note their response and improved ability to design and model systems subjected to transient impulsive loadings. Most existing literature has focused on the periodic or quasi-steady response of such fluids and appropriate models and data available for impulsive conditions is limited or does not yet exist. ST impact test cells have been created and have been subjected it to a range of impact energies (up to 10 Joules), impact velocity (up to 2.5 meters/sec) and peak impact force (up to 3 kNewtons), for a range of gap spacing (from 0.2 to 2 mm). The results show that at our current maximum impact loads, the energy of the impact is absorbed with a stroke of only several millimeters, depending on the gap thickness. These results verify the potential of the present invention.

MR fluids are popular for active control damping, and have seen commercialization in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries and in the prosthetics sector. The fluids consist of a suspension of magnetic micro-particles, which become aligned when subjected to an external magnetic field, forcing the fluid to behave like a visco-elastic solid. Actively controlled electromagnetics are typically employed to “turn on” the fluid when a high-yield stress state is required. This requires the use of an additional power, electromagnets and sensor system to activate the device under appropriate conditions. The advantage of this complexity is that it naturally lends itself to the including impact monitoring as part of the system with minimal additional development.

The present invention focuses on the use of shear-thickening fluids to prevent brain concussions. ST fluids are passively activated under impact conditions, thus forgoing the need of sensors, a power source and electromagnets. ST fluids are less well-developed and commercialized than MR fluids, but are currently seeing use in flexible protective body armor as an additive to prevent puncture wounds, as limited-slip differentials in automotive applications, and as an encapsulate in closed cell foam to create a soft padding material that stiffens under impact. ST materials function as a result of a shear-induced transition of the particle spacing within the fluid. Under low shear rates, the particles remain separated by intermolecular forces, providing a small additional stress. At high shear rates, the particles are forced together by the increased shear forces, causing the formation of so-called “hydroclusters”, inducing a jammed state and a greatly increased viscosity and resistance to motion. This has the desirable effect of producing a greater resistive force and a shorter stopping distance for higher acceleration rates.

ST and MR fluids have not yet been proposed or adapted for use in devices to prevent brain concussions as, for example, the novel design as described herein. For the ST and MR fluids to function effectively, they need to be forced to undergo a shearing motion with a wetted area sufficiently large to provide appropriate restraining forces. Additionally, such actuators need to be compact and unobtrusive while allowing sufficient degrees of freedom to permit the user a natural head motion under non-impact conditions. The present invention satisfies those design objectives.

The primary feature of the present invention is a mechanism that consists of a series of interleaved bi-layer spherical shell elements that effectively creates a telescoping mechanism to allow rotational motions about two orthogonal axes simultaneously (superior-inferior and lateral axis). In addition, the telescoping motion of the plates places the ST fluid in a repeatable and consistent shearing motion as the head is moved. Rotation about the third axis (posterior-anterior) is controlled by an ST fluid enabled rotational damper, which is constructed with a shear-pin anchored quick-disconnect to allow easy and rapid removal of the SuperSpine from the helmet. Although the present invention as described herein refers to the use of the SuperSpine only with male athletes, it should be understood that the device as taught herein could be used with either male or female athletes.

Thus one object of the present invention is to prevent brain concussions for athletes who are hit on the head or body in such a manner as to create a high rate of angular acceleration of their head by the use of special damping fluids in a mechanism that connects the athlete's helmet to his shoulder pads.

Another object of this invention is to utilize smart fluids in a SuperSpine device to dramatically reduce any angular acceleration onto an athlete's head to prevent brain concussions.

Still another object of this invention is to be able to have a quick release means to separate the SuperSpine either from the athlete's helmet or from his shoulder pads.

Still another object of this invention is to have a SuperSpine design that would not harm a first player who is hitting a second player in the region of his head.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become obvious to a person of ordinary skill in this art upon reading the detailed description of this invention including the associated drawings as presented herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 Illustrates the SuperSpine connection from shoulder pads to the helmet.

FIG. 2 illustrates the SuperSpine mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the SuperSpine device at section 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the SuperSpine illustrating certain design features.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the helmet-shoulder pads connector for the SuperSpine.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of the helmet-shoulder pads connector at section 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates each of the separate parts that make up the helmet-shoulder pads connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the system 10, which is the assembly of the SuperSpine 100 that connects the helmet 200 to the shoulder pads 300. The assembly is composed of two main components:

-   -   1) Spherical Shell Shear Plates (SSSP) with boot (FIG. 2, 101         and FIGS. 3, 101 and 103), and     -   2) Rotational Shear Anchor (RSA) with quick-release (FIG. 4,         110, and additional details in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7).

The primary components of the spherical shell shear plates assembly (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) are 4 plates (103) with a radius of curvature and positioning on the helmet 200 and shoulder pads 300 such that the center of the sphere would lie in the forward half of the neck just below the jaw. Although the head/neck has many more degrees of freedom available to it that the SSSP, detailed investigations have shown that for the most common head motions, this shape and positioning provides a nearly complete range of motion. The advantage of using spherical shell elements is that it allows for rotations about two axes with a single compact mechanism, rather than a multitude of bulky linear actuators as has been proposed in prior art patents.

The rotational actuator provides the third axis about which the helmet can rotate.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower three plates are U-shaped in cross-section to constrain the plates from separating in the fore-aft direction, while permitting a telescopic sliding motion in two orthogonal directions. FIG. 4 shows steel ball bearings 104 captured in the plate wall, but protruding from the wall. This design provides a smooth sliding motion while maintaining a fixed spacing between adjacent plates. Alternatively, the roller balls 104 could be replaced with a fixed bump of material for simplicity of manufacturing and reliability of operation, at the expense of slightly greater resistance to motion. FIG. 4 shows flexible tethers 105 consisting of light spring steel, a shape-memory alloy (viz. Nitinol) or a simple polymer cord, any one of which provides a limit to relative translation and orientation of the SSSP elements. This design prevents the elements from sliding out of alignment and ensuring that they return properly to their nominal position with all bottom elements aligned. Shear thickening fluid 106 fills the gaps between the plates, and is contained within the assembly using a corrugated boot 101 that is clearly seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The shear plates may have small vents placed in them to permit redistribution of the fluid volume as the device is extended or contracted by different head movements. The assembly is fixed to the shoulder pads using a shoulder pads plate 107 that allows a single degree of rotation about the generally horizontal axis. It should be understood that the plate 107 could also have a quick connect-disconnect means to separate the SuperSpine plus the helmet from the shoulder pads. This detachable means would enable each player's helmet plus SuperSpine removed without leaving the protruding SuperSpine attached to the player's shoulder pads.

The SSSP Assembly is connected to the helmet through a quick-release Rotational Shear Anchor (RSA) 110, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The RSA provides an additional degree of freedom for head rotations about a dorsovental axis, while still providing shear-thickening damping of motion when needed. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, this assembly also provides for detachment of the SuperSpine 100 from the helmet, using a cam-actuated quick-release handle 129 and locking ball-and-pin assembly 122 (and 121 as seen in FIG. 7). The RSA 110 is secured when the handle 129 is locked in a down position; driving the locking pin 121 down and forcing the locking balls 122 partway out through the lower retainer 119 and into a receiving groove in the steel anchor grommet 120 (of FIGS. 6 and 7) that is installed in the helmet shell 111 (also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7). As shown in FIG. 7, the RSA 110 is further secured through the use of two hardened steel guide pins 128 mated to two alignment anchor sleeves 127, also mounted in the helmet pad 111. The rotation is facilitated by a roller bearing and bearing races 115-117, with the two plates 112 and 113 of the RSA 110 held together using threaded retainers 114 and 119. The shear-thickening fluid is contained by rotational seals on the inner hub 123 and outer edge mechanism 124.

Various other modifications, adaptations and alternative designs are of course possible in light of the teachings as presented herein. Therefore it should be understood that, while still remaining within the scope and meaning of the appended claims, this invention could be practiced in a manner other than that which is specifically described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device to prevent concussions of the brain for athletes who are hit onto their helmet or body, the device being a SuperSpine that connects the athlete's helmet to his or her shoulder pads utilizing a shear-thickening fluid that acts within the SuperSpine that connects the helmet to the shoulder pads such that the athlete is free to move his/her head at a normal rate of angular motion, but the SuperSpine with shear-thickening fluid disallows high rates of angular acceleration that could cause the athlete to suffer a brain concussion by the use of a non-linear increase in viscosity of the shear-thickening fluid at higher rates of angular acceleration of the athlete's head.
 2. The device of claim 1 including means for the quick attachment and detachment of the SuperSpine from the athlete's helmet and/or from the athlete's shoulder pads.
 3. A safety helmet system comprising: (a) a helmet; (b) a shoulder pad adapted to be mounted on a user's body; (c) a housing coupled on opposing ends to said helmet and said shoulder pad; (d) a plurality of displaceable plate members positioned within said housing; (e) fluid positioned at least between said displaceable plate members for rigidifying upon impact loading being applied to said user's body.
 4. The safety helmet as recited in claim 3 including a quick release mechanism mounted to said housing and said helmet to permit quick release of said housing from said helmet.
 5. The safety helmet as recited in claim 3 where said fluid is a shear thickening fluid composition.
 6. The safety helmet as recited in claim 3 where said fluid is an actively controlled magneto-rheological fluid composition.
 7. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 3 where said plate members within said housing are arcuately formed in an overlapping and interleaved manner.
 8. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 7 where said plate members are U-shaped in cross-sectional contour.
 9. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 8 where said arcuate plate members form a portion of a spherical envelope contour.
 10. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 9 where said arcuate plate members spherical envelope contour are positionally located to define a center of a sphere substantially forward of a neck of the user and below a jaw of the user.
 11. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 3 including at least one protruding element mounted between at least two of said plates for maintaining a displacement distance between said plates.
 12. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 11 where said at least one protruding element is a roller bearing.
 13. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 3 where each of said plates is tethered each to the other by flexible tether elements.
 14. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 3 where said housing is formed in a bellows configuration.
 15. The safety helmet system as recited in claim 14 where said housing is configured to provide a sealing enclosure for said fluid. 